


Come Back Home

by Cattatonically



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, oblivious Rin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24829579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cattatonically/pseuds/Cattatonically
Summary: Coming back home, and coaching at Samezuka hadn't really been part of Rin's plan. But Seijuurou and Ai definitely made it easier.
Relationships: Matsuoka Rin/Mikoshiba Seijuurou/Nitori Aiichirou
Kudos: 7





	Come Back Home

When Rin had imagined his life, returning to Samezuka hadn’t been on the table. But, after a solid swimming career, Rin was ready to retire professionally and take up something new. When the opportunity to coach his alma mater’s swim team had presented himself to him, he wasn’t about to pass it up. 

Returning had felt a little odd. Most of his friends had gone on to do things away from home, and though he missed them, Rin was also proud of them and their accomplishments. They got together when they could, and for all the times in between, they had texting, calling, and video chatting. Overall, Rin couldn’t complain about missing his friends too much. However, a couple of his friends had come back, just as he had. 

To Rin’s pleasant surprise, both Seijuurou and Ai had also taken employment opportunities close to home. Really close, in fact. Ai was teaching English at Samezuka, while Seijuurou taught geography. He was also the swim club’s faculty advisor/coach. 

Rin hadn’t anticipated being reunited with his high school teammates well into his 30s, but he was glad for them being there. It reminded him of all the things he’d missed - their friendship, their camaraderie, and how well they all got along. Rin was thankful to have them by his side as he transitioned from professional swimmer to swimming coach. And he told them so emphatically on a Saturday evening, a couple months into his coaching tenure. 

“I really couldn’t do this without you guys,” he said sincerely as they sat around Seijuurou’s living room one Saturday evening. They’d taken to hanging out on the weekends, taking turns hosting (and usually letting Seijuurou crash after a few beers). 

“You could do anything you set your mind to, Rin,” Seijuurou countered. 

“Yeah. You’ve proved that over and over again.” Ai was looking at him a little starry-eyed. It reminded Rin of rooming with him in the dorms. 

“No, seriously guys. I was a nervous wreck coming back home. But with you guys here, everything feels so much easier.”

“We’re glad you’re back, Rin. We missed you.” Seijuurou’s voice was soft, and his smile was even softer. Rin felt a lump in his throat. 

“Don’t make me cry, you asshole, I’ll kick your ass.”

“I’d love to see you try.” 

Sei was doing it again. That undertone to his voice. The one that made Ai look at him like he was looking for some kind of reaction. Since Rin’s homecoming, he’d noticed that they acted just a little bit differently around him than they had before. 

One of them would make a comment, and the other would look at Rin, gauging his reaction. They all hung out in the faculty office together, earning comments from other staff members about their close-knit relationship, and Ai often waited for swim practice to let out on the weekends in order to join Rin and Seijuurou for whatever they’d had planned. 

Some weekdays, Ai would sit in on practice, and offer pointers to some of the first and second year swimmers with Seijuurou, while Rin worked with the third years on scholarship applications and helped them navigate scouts and offers. They usually left together, and grabbed a bite to eat - taking turns covering the tab. 

All in all, they spent a lot of time together - both on and off campus. Rin was happy. And comfortable. But he had this little niggling feeling at the back of his head that he was missing something. Just a little something that would make everything be so much different, yet so much better. 

It wasn’t a secret that the three of them worked well together; they always had. The team was well aware that they were all friends, and former teammates. But Rin got the distinct impression that something else was going on under the surface. Something that went hand in hand with that niggling feeling at the back of his brain. Something he hadn’t quite figured out yet. At least, not until a bold first year who reminded Rin entirely too much of Momo came up and asked him a very pointed question. 

“So, which one’s your boyfriend, Coach Matsuoka?” Rin gaped at the kid. 

“Excuse me?!”

“Well, you spend a lot of time with both Mikoshiba-sensei and Nitori-sensei. So we were kinda wondering which one you were dating?” All Rin could do was keep gaping at the kid. 

“He isn’t dating either of us, Yoshiki,” Seijuurou said, throwing an arm around Rin’s shoulder. “Not for a lack of trying on both our parts, though.” This was said a little quietly, a little forlornly, and Rin whipped his head around to look at Seijuurou. 

Just as Rin was about to ask him what he was talking about, Seijuurou stepped away, clapped his hands, and demanded laps from the first years. Before Rin could properly process what had just transpired, he was distracted by a student asking about swimming scholarships overseas. 

Rin made himself scarce for a few weeks after that. It was pretty clear that what he’d missed had flown clear over his head. And Rin felt like a moron for not noticing sooner. 

After the national tournament - wherein Samezuka showed the nation just why they were a powerhouse - Rin gave himself time and space to think about what he wanted thoroughly. 

That first year had unknowingly cleared up a lot of the niggling in Rin’s mind. Rin belatedly realized that Seijuurou and Ai had both been flirting with him, together, and they were trying to see how he’d react. And for the most part, he’d reacted indifferently. Because he hadn’t realized what they were doing. He was focused on making a life for himself, and coaching the Samezuka swim team to the best of his abilities. 

Leaving the professional arena had given Rin more anxiety than he’d told anyone about. He knew it was the right move. His shoulders couldn’t take the training anymore. But he was afraid. Afraid he’d lead a kid to a wall like he’d hit as a teen. Afraid of not being good enough. Afraid of letting the kids down. 

Moving back home, and coaching at Samezuka, hadn’t initially been part of the plan. But it had been a great new plan. And Rin was glad he’d done it, despite his insecurities and anxieties. The transition had been made so much easier with Seijuurou and Ai at his side, which was something that Rin often thought about. 

They’d been friends for so long, and had kept in touch while separated. But Rin realized something. He hadn’t truly felt like he’d come home until he saw them at Samezuka with him. Rin wasn’t truly at home, wasn’t truly happy, unless he had Seijuurou and Ai by his side. Both of them. With him. Together. And all of a sudden, Rin had his answer. 

“Thanks for coming, guys,” Rin said as he ushered Seijuurou and Ai into his apartment. A bottle of wine was sitting on the coffee table in the living room. He made quick work of pouring them each a glass, and then facing both men head on. 

“I like you. Both of you. I think I have for a long time, and just didn’t realize it.” Ai’s eyes widened a fraction, as Seijuurou began to grin. “Realizing that you’ve both been flirting with me for months without me noticing was a wake up call. I’m sorry I made you wait so long.”

Seijuurou shuffled over, and took Rin’s right hand, while Ai took his left. “We’d wait forever, Rin,” Seijuurou said sincerely. “But in light of your confession, we do have one question.”

“Will you date us? Both of us?” Ai asked shyly. 

“It would be my absolute honour,” Rin said through tears. 

“I thought you said you’d kick my ass if I made you cry?” Seijuurou quipped, holding Rin close as Ai shuffled closer. Rin chuckled wetly. 

“Oh, I bet you’d love to see me try.”

**Author's Note:**

> I can be found flailing on [tumblr](https://cattatonically.tumblr.com/).


End file.
